Post forming machine



Nov. 25, 1969 o. L.. REED 3,479,704

POST FORMING MACHINE Filed May 5, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y L m 5 1Q@ .wmwm. Mmm my w www wwbwm q wf@ 1 m E @n A M 1% MN 0 MM I TfO/VEY Nov. 25,1969 o. l.. REED 3,479,704

POST FORMING MACHINE Filed May 5, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l 1NVENT0R:OSC/7H ZEE' REED BY W pa/? 'United States Patent O U.S. Cl. 25-41 8Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A post forming machine including anelongated, hollow mold having a closed end and an open end, a ilexibleliner having a closed end and an open end adapted to conform to theinterior dimensions of the mold, and an elongated fluid concretedischarge conduit extending through the open ends of the mold and liner,and s ubstantially the length of the mold in its initial positlon, withthe discharge end of the conduit being adjacent the closed end of themold, and means for forcing fluid concrete through the discharge conduitso that the accumulation of concrete against the closed end of the moldforces the mold and liner longitudinally away from the discharge conduitto gradually fill the mold with concrete.

SUMMARY `OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a machine for themanufacture of concrete posts, beams, piling, poles or similar objects.

The machine includes means for discharging fluid concrete under pressureinto a reusable mold which is lined with a flexible liner, such asplastic, paper or similar material. Reinforcing steel rods may bemounted within the mold to move with the mold as the concrete isdischarged into the mold. After the mold and flexible liner arecompletely filled with the fluid concrete, which may or may not containreinforcing rods, the molded specimen within the liner is ejected fromthe mold very soon after the specimen has attained its molded form. Theshape of the specimen is maintained by the confinement within theflexible liner.

Because of the use of the flexible liner within the mold, no stripping,cleaning, or oiling of the mold walls, nor vibration of the fluidconcrete is necessary in the manufacture of the concrete specimens. Themold may be opened and closed automatically, and the specimen ejected bymeans of hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders or electromagnets. Theconcrete specimen can be handled immediately after it has been molded.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of theleft-hand portion of the machine, disclosing the mold in its initialposition,

with parts broken away;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. l

similar to FIG. 6, but disclosing a mold having a differentcross-sectional shape; and

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 disclosing another mold shape.

fice

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularlyto FIGS. 1-4, the machine 10 made in accordance with this inventionincludes an elongated frame 11 having a left end or rear member or lwall12 supporting an elongated tubular fluid concrete discharge pipe orconduit 13. The discharge pipe 13 extends from outside the rear wall 12longitudinally forward through the frame 11 where it terminates in adischarge outlet 14. A fluid concrete hopper 15 is mounted outside therear wall 12 and communicates through a valve 16 to the rear portion ofthe concrete pipe 13. A piston 17 extends through the rear of theconcrete discharge pipe 13- and is adapted to be moved reciprocably andlongitudinally of the pipe 13 by any convenient means, not shown.Another valve 18 may be mounted in the discharge pipe 13 between therear wall 12 and the intersection of the pipe 13 with the hopper outletpipe 19.

Disposed concentrically around the concrete discharge pipe 13 in aninitial position, as disclosed in FIG. l, is a concrete post mold 20having a cross section of any desired shape, such as the square crosssection with charnfered edged disclosed in FIGS. 2 and 4. The mold 20has its right or front end closed by wall 21, and its left or rear endopen to receive the discharge pipe 13.

The mold 20 is mounted within the frame 11 to move longitudinallyrelative to the concrete discharge pipe 13. In order to effect thismovement, wheels, or rollers, 22 are fixed to the bottom of the mold 20and adapted to roll along the longitudinally disposed rails 23.

The mold 20 may be guided in its longitudinal travel by means of guide'brackets 25 fixed to the top of the mold 20 and cooperating with theupper longitudinal rails 26.

The mold 20 is normally held in its initial position by a counterweight28` suspended by cable 28 about pulley 30 and extending longitudinallythrough the rear end wall 12 to its opposite end which is fixed to aplate 31 or other fixture projecting upwardly from the front end of themold 20.

Upper and lower tracts 33 and 34 respectively, are mounted transverselyupon the upper and lower edges of the open rear end of the mold 20, tosupport, for transverse reciprocable movement, opposed gates 35 and 36.The gates 35 and 36 are provided with opposed semicircular openings toreceive the discharge pipe 13 when closed, as disclosed in FIG. 4. Thegates 35 and 36 may be reciprocably moved by any convenient means, suchas the hydraulic cylinders 37 and 38, as best disclosed in FIG. 2.

In a preferred form of the machine 10, any desired number of elongatedtubes 39, four of which are shown in the drawings, are fixed to thedischarge pipe 13. These tubes 39 extend substantially the length of theportion of the discharge pipe 13 within the mold 20 in its initialposition, and :are equally spaced around the circumference of the pipe13. Received within each tube 39 is an elongated steel reinforcing rod40 having its outer, or right end, 41 bent at 90 to the main portion ofthe rod 40. Disclosed in FIG. l, the bent end portions 41 extendradially inward across the discharge outlet 14 of the concrete pipe 13.The reinforcing rods 40 are free to slide longitudinally of the tubes39.

Disposed over the open discharge outlet 14, the major portion ofdischarge pipe 13, the reinforcing rods 40 and receiving tubes 39, is aflexible liner 44 having a closed end and an open end. The liner 44 ispreferably of a thin plastic or paper material having the general shapeof the interior of the mold 20, so that when the liner 44 is completelylled with concrete, it conforms to the interior surface of the mold 20.The right closed end of the flexible liner 44 is provided with openings45 through which air is expelled as the liner 44 is filled withconcrete. In a similar manner, the right en-d wall 21 of mold 20 and thegates 35 and 36 may be provided with air expulsion openings 46 and 47,respectively.

As best disclosed in FIGS. 2 and 4, the mold 20 is provided with aninterior moveable ram wall 48 connected to a piston rod 49 which isrecprocably moved by the hydraulic cylinder 50 mounted upon thecorresponding fixed side wall 51 of the mold 20. Adapted to move withthe ram wall 48 at the bottom thereof is a horizontally disposed pallet53 upon which the liner 44 filled with the concrete specimen 54 iscarried.

The opposite side or swing wall 55 of the mold 20, that is, oppositefrom the ram wall 48, is pivotally mounted by hinges 56 to the top wallof the mold 20 to swing outward and upward as the concrete specimen 54is thrust toward the swing wall S5 by the ram wall 48. The swing wall 55is held in its closed operative position by means of pivoted latches 57controlled by solenoids 58.

Mounted laterally adjacent the swing wall 55 of the mold 20 in itsforward or final position is any means for conveniently receiving thepallet 53 supporting the specimen 54 and liner 44, such as an endlessconveyor belt 60, as best disclosed in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The operation of the apparatus disclosed in FIGS. 1-4 is as follows:

Before the mold is moved to its initial position disclosed in FIG. l,reinforcing rods 40 are inserted into the corresponding tubes 39 so thattheir bent ends 41 are disposed radially inward across and proximate tothe discharge outlet 14. After the reinforcing rods 40 are in positionaround the discharge pipe 13, the open end of the flexible liner. 44 ispulled over the discharge outlet 14 and over the bent ends 41 of thereinforcing rods 40. The liner 44 is moved rearwardly to envelope thedischarge pipe 13 and tubes 39, as well as reinforcing rods 40, untilthe closed end of the liner 44 is closely adjacent to or against thebent ends 41 at the discharge outlet 14. Since the diameter or crosssectional dimensions of the liner 44 is the same as the cross sectionaldimensions of concrete specimen 54 to be formed in the mold 20, then thecross sectional dimensions of the liner 44 are also approximately equalto the inner cross sectional dimensions of the mold 20. Therefore, theliner 44 will lie in a collapsed enveloping position over andsurrounding both the discharge pipe 13, the reinforcing rods 40, andreinforcing rod tubes 39, until the fluid concrete is extruded from theopen discharge outlet 14, to fill the inner space defined by the liner44, and to move the liner 44 and the reinforcing rods 40 away from thedischarge pipe 13.

As the flexible liner 44 is filled, it assumes the shape of the insidewall of the mold, as clearly shown in FIG. 3. The mold 20, together withthe liner 44 and reinforcing rods 40, is gradually moved forward towardthe right of FIG. 1. The concrete gradually accumulates within the liner44 behind the discharge outlet 14. Since this accumulated concretecreates a greater resistance to the ilow of additional concrete, thandoes the closed end of the mold 20, then the mold 20 is moved graduallyfrom its original position in FIG. 1 toward its ultimate position inFIG. 3.

The uid concrete is fed through the discharge pipe 13 by means of theram 17, when the valve 18 is opened. Concrete is supplied to thedischarge pipe 13 through the open valve 16 and outlet pipe 19 from thehopper 15.

As the fluid concrete passing through the discharge outlet 14 moves themold 20, liner 44 and reinforcing rods 40 forward, the counterweight 28is elevated and maintains uniform pressure against the discharging fluidconcrete, to assure the formation of a homogeneous specimen 54.

When the mold 20 has reached its final position in FIG. 3, pneumatic orhydraulic cylinders 37 and 38 (FIG. 2) are actuated to move the gates 35and 36 toward their closed position against the discharge pipe 13, toclose the rear end of the mold 20. The mold 20 will then remainstationary until the remaining space in the flexible liner 44 and themold 20 is filled with concrete. The purpose of the gates 35 and 36 isto prevent the expulsion of any concrete from the mold 20.

The openings 45 in the liner 44, openings 46 in the end mold wall 21,and openings 47 in the gates 3S and 36, permit the expulsion of airtrapped Within the liner 44 and the mold 20 during the filling process.

After the liner 44 is filled to form the specimen 54, electromagneticlatches 57 are energized by the respective solenoids 58 to unlock theswing wall 55. Hydraulic cylinders 50 are then actuated to extend thepiston rod 49 and project the moveable ram wall 48 toward the oppositeside of the mold. The moveable ram wall -48 carrying the pallet 53 andthe specimen 54 Within the liner 44 thrusts open the swing wall 55 untilthe pallet 53 moves upon the conveyor be'lt 60, or any other dischargestation.

After the specimen 54 and pallet 53 are removed by the conveyor belt 60,the ram wall 48 is retracted by the lhydraulic cylinder 50 to itsoriginal position disclosed in FIG. 2, and the swing wall 55 drops toits closed position by gravity. The de-energzation of the solenoid 58will permit the latches 57 to latch the swing wall 55 in closed moldingposition. The gates 35 and 36 are opened, and the process for making anew specimen is repeated.

FIG. 5 discloses an optional type of reinforcingsteel rod assembly 62,in which a plurality, for example four, reinforcing rods 63, identicalin shape to those disclosed in FIG. 1, are held in the circularconfiguration disclosed in FIG. 5, by a series of circular wires orbinding rods 64 secured to the reinforcing rods 63, such as by spotwelding. The prefabricated rod assembly 62, in which the diameter of thebinding rods 64 is slightly greater than the outer diameter of thedischarge pipe 13, is telescopingly moved over the discharge pipe 13,until the 90 bent ends 65 of the reinforcing rods 63 are adjacent to,and extend radially inwardly across the discharge outlet 14. It will beunderstood that the tubes 39 are not employed when the modifiedreinforcing assembly 62 is used. As the fluid concrete is dischargedfrom the discharge outlet 64, the concrete will engage the bent ends 65of the rod assembly 62, and will carry the assembly 62 along with theconcrete away from the discharge pipe 13, in the same manner as thereinforcing rods of FIG. 1 are projected from their corresponding tubes39.

Although the mold 20 disclosed in FIGS. 1-4 is shaped to form a concretespecimen 54 of substantially square cross-section with chamfered edges,nevertheless, it will be understood that molds 20 of other crosssectional shapes may be employed.

FIG. 6 discloses a modified concrete post forming machine 70 including astationary frame 71 and a moveable frame 72. The moveable frame 72 isprovided with depending wheels 74 riding on longitudinal rails 75 xed tothe bottom of the frame 71 for relative longitudinal movement. Themoveable frame 12 may also be provided with upper guide brackets 76 toride along the overhead rails 77 fixed to the stationary frame 71.

Supported within the ymoveable frame 72 to move therewith is a modifiedform of mold 80. The mold 80 includes a bottom Wall or pallet 81 mountedupon a platform 82 supported upon a vertically reciprocable piston rod83 in hydraulic cylinder 84, fixed to the bottom of the moveable frame72. The mold 80 also includes a left side wall 86 supported byhorizontally reciprocable piston rod 87 within hydraulic cylinder 88fixed to the left side of the moveable frame 72. The mold 80 iscompleted by the right side wall 90 xed to horizontally reciprocablepiston rod 91 carried in the hydraulic cylinder 92 fixed to the rightside of the moveable frame 72.

The three mold walls 81, 86 and 90 are shown in a closed operativeposition to define the cross section of a form for an elongated concretemember, such as the specimen 94 including reinforcing rods 95. Theparticular cross section disclosed in FIG. `6 is octagonal. The specimen94 is contained within a flexible liner 96 which conforms to the innerdiameter and length of the mold 80 in the same manner as the flexibleliner 44 disclosed in FIGS. 1-4.

The process of making the concrete form 94 in the machine 70 is verysimilar to the process employed with the machine 10. However instead ofmoving only the mold 20 longitudinally relative to discharge pipe 13 inFIGS. 1-4, the entire frame 72 is moved longitudin-ally toward and awayfrom a concrete discharge pipe 13 identical or similar to that disclosedin FIG. l so that the mold 80 in closed position (FIG. 6), will moveconcentrically and telescopingly about the concrete discharge pipe. Thelength of the mold 80 is comparable to the length of the mold 20. Ofcourse, the mold 80 must be provided with an end wall comparable to thefunction of the end Iwall 21 of FIG. 1.

As the fluid concrete is discharged from the pipe, similar to 13, intothe mold 80, the liner 96, reinforcing rods 95, -mold 80 and the ,entireframe 72 are moved relative to the discharge pipe until the mold 80 andliner 96 are completely filled with concrete. The hydraulic cylinders S8and 92 are then actuated to retract the side mold walls 86 and 90 awayfrom the specimen 94. Then the hydraulic cylinder 84 is actuated tolower the platform 82, pallet 81 and the completed and lined specimen94, to the dashed line position of FIG. 6.

The pallet 81 supporting the liner-enveloped specimen 94 is then movedlaterally across the stationary platform 98 to an endless conveyor belt99 by a ram 100 actuated by hydraulic cylinder 101 fixed upon the leftside of the moveable frame 72. The hydraulic cylinder 101 is located atthe proper elevation so that the ram 100 will engage pallet 81 and moveit over the platform 82. After the ram 100 is retracted, and the pistonrods 83, 87 and 91 are projected to their original solid-line positionsdisclosed in FIG. 6, the mold 80 is in position for the formation of anew concrete specimen 94.

FIG. 7 discloses a mold 80' having a circular crosssection, andincluding the elements 81', 82', 83', 86', 87', 88', 90', 91', 92', 94',95', and 96', identical to the corresponding numbered elements in FIG.6.

FIG. 8 discloses another mold 80, operating identically to the mold 80,differing only in the square crosssection of the specimen 94", havingchamfered edges. All the elements in FIG. 8 correspond to the elementsin FIG. 6 and are identified by a double prime It will be understoodthat other molds similar to 20 and 80 of other cross sections may beemployed to make corresponding concrete posts of different shapes.Moreover, it is possible to make concrete posts which are longitudinallytapered, or pointed, rather than posts of uniform cross sections.

By using the necessary electrical and mechanical equipment, the machines10 and 70 can be operated automatically except for the initial placementof the pallet, liner and reinforcing steel rods.

I claim:

1. A machine for forming a concrete post comprising:

(a) an elongated hollow mold having a closed end and an open end and aplurality of elongated side walls defining the internal cross-section ofsaid mold,

(b) an elongated tubular conduit having an open discharge end normallyprojecting within and substantially the full length of said mold so thatsaid discharge end is adjacent the closed end of said mold in an initialposition,

(c) means mounting said mold and said conduit for relative longitudinaltelescoping movement,

(d) an elongated, flexible tubular liner impermeable to air, having aclosed end and an open end, said liner having substantially the samecross-sectional shape and 4at least the same length as said mold,

(e) said liner being within and extending substantially the full lengthof said mold, so that the closed end of said liner is adjacent theclosed end of said mold, said said liner surrounds said tubular conduitin said initial position,

(f) means for forcing fluid concrete through said conduit and from saiddischarge end into said liner and said mold, so that the continuousdischarge of said concrete forces the closed ends of said liner and saidmold relatively away from the discharge end of said conduit to a filledposition.

2. The invention according to claim 1 in which the closed end of saidliner has holes therein for the expulsion of air.

3. The invention according to claim 1 in which at least one of said sidewalls is moveable away from the other walls to permit removal of a-molded concrete post and liner from said mold.

4. The invention according to claim 3 further comprising ram meansmounted on one of said side walls opposite from said moveable wall, andoperable to thrust the molded concrete post and liner through theopening in said mold provided by the movement of said moveable wall.

5. The invention according to claim 3 in which said fmoveable wall isthe bottom wall of said mold, and means for lowering said bottom wallsupporting said concrete post in said liner to remove said post and saidliner from said mold.

6. The invention according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality ofreinforcing rods, each rod having one laterally bent end portion, andmeans mounting said reinforcing rods on said conduit within said linerfor free longitudinal movement of said conduit, said bent end portionsbeing disposed radially inwardly across said discharge end of saidconduit.

7. The invention according to claim 6 in which said means for mountingsaid reinforcing rods comprise tubular guide members fixed to andextending longitudinally of said conduit.

8. The invention according to claim 1 comprising a pair of gates mountedon the open end of said mold for reciprocal movement toward and awayfrom each other, and transversely of said mold, and means for actuatingsaid gates.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 996,282 6/1911 Ryder 249--1581,170,019 2/1916 Thom 249-143 2,427,044 8/ 1947 Burns.

2,941,274 ,6/ 1960 Wise et al. f

1,445,724 2/ 1923 Skorkovsky 25-14 1,858,956 5/1932 Hepperle 25--143,233,281 2/1966 Swift 17-44.2 3,240,847 3/ 1966 Harshberger et al.25-413 I. S. BROWN, Assistant Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 25-15; 264-267

